Leading candidates to replace Jon Gruden on MNF, as told by Twitter

There are a few qualifications that seem to thread their way through every suggestion to replace Jon Gruden on Monday Night Football, based on the history of the analyst/color role on national broadcasts and the nature of who is available.

The first is that they are former quarterbacks or quarterback adjacent, and the second is that they have strong and recent ties to the league. Tony Romo is America’s new favorite analyst for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he is so keyed into how the game is played in the current incarnation of the NFL.

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Since there are a lot of people excited to be rid of Gruden’s incessant rambling and the awkward exchanges with MNF play-by-play announcer, Sean McDonough, they’ve spent the past days and hours brainstorming the most likely candidates to replace him. Here are Twitter’s three most popular candidates

Peyton Manning

Romo would be perfect for Gruden’s replacement for MNF but CBS isn’t going to let him go. So my pick is Peyton Manning. #MNF # pic.twitter.com/eMuPVOqiCB

Pros: He knows and understands the game as well as anyone that’s ever played it. He also has the same thing that makes Tony Romo so great, which is that he’s played with many of the players and coaches in the games, and can offer first-person insight into what’s happening. Obviously that fades with time, but it’s really helped Romo ingratiate himself with fans and viewers very quickly.

Cons: He’s really funny when given a script, but there are no scripts for MNF. Plus ESPN might see him as a liability to leave for a coaching or executive position, both of which he is constantly rumored to be considering.

Bruce Arians

I hereby nominate @BruceArians to replace Jon Gruden in the "Monday Night Football" booth should Gruden go to the Raiders

Pros: He’s a lifetime student of the game, a quarterbacks coach and a two-time Coach of the Year, so he’s incredibly familiar with the league in its current and past configurations. He also isn’t afraid to say whatever insane and often controversial things pop into his head.

Cons: He isn’t afraid to say whatever insane and often controversial things pop into his head.

Kurt Warner

Ima say they go out and get @kurt13warner (Kurt Warner). He does MNF on radio for Westwood One, does a helluva job in my opinion.

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Pros: Warner is already an experienced color analyst, calling the Monday Night games for Westwood One. He does a great job and he has a deep understanding of sports TV broadcasting, and perhaps most importantly, he’s willing to be critical of high-profile players — which Gruden was allergic to.

Cons: His temperament wouldn’t exactly offset McDonough’s deliberate and traditional play-by-play. Without a more consistently dynamic personality, the broadcast could start to flatline. Warner would be at his best paired with someone closer to a Joe Buck.